In Your Shoes
by nothingspecial1163
Summary: After a brutal attack, Brian is left confused, upset and different. How will he cope with his new life?


****

My first Family Guy fic, I was originally going to start one of these a while back but never got around to it. It seems the idea I have is not really unique, several others have it but that's not going to stop me!

* * *

Brian's eyes traced the path that rain fell onto the driveway. They moved clockwork; from the window ledge to the grass, from the grass to the edge of the porch and from the porch to the empty driveway. His jumped slightly as the thunder crackled above him.

_Relax, Brian. It's just thunder._

Brian had been waiting to go out to the park, ever since Peter suggested it at lunch. The prospect of Lois venturing out with them was clearly a bonus. Peter and Lois had left for a meeting with Chris' principal after he got into trouble. Chris had been pushed into a tub of jello and had then retaliated by eating the whole thing. Hardly detention worthy, but for some reason the school demanded a refund.

The flashing car headlamp pulled Brian back to reality. His brain kicked into action and within seconds the door had flown open. Peter and Lois slowly unclicked the doors and dashed for the door, knocking Brian back. Peter shook himself off as he entered the kitchen and removed his sodden jacket, handing it to Lois. She folded in carefully and placed it over the back of one of the dining table chairs. Peter opened the fridge door and pulled out some leftover chicken. He turned to Brian.

"Hey, can you believe this freakin' weather? Talk about downpour!" Brian chuckled softly and Peter returned to the fridge to grab more snacks. Lois pulled the chair out slowly and sat down on it. Brian pulled up the chair opposite.

"So, how was the meeting?" Brian asked. Just as Lois began to reply Peter cut in.

"Ah, god. They think we're payin' 50 bucks for jello, they got another thing comin', am I right?" Lois nodded.

"It was a bit extreme and Chris was attacked first, but they just don't see it that way. Chris is going to work in the cafeteria for a month and they'll ignore the fee." Brian nodded and smiled at Lois.

"Yeah, and with any luck, he can sneak some pork chops home! You know, how I was sayin' they make the best grub, Lois? You remember that?" Lois nodded again and turned back to Brian.

"So Brian, did you do anything while we were gone?" She asked. Brian stopped for a moment, he inhaled her sweet words. They floated gently into his mind, but were snatched back out again when he realised he must reply.

"Oh...nothing much. I was kind of waiting for that walk you promised." A hint of begging struck Brian's tone and he suddenly felt shameful. Lois' eyes sunk as she remembered what they had said.

"Look, Brian. You've seen the weather and we've just been out. It's just not....." Lois looked at Brian's sad complexion, "I'm sorry, maybe tomorrow." Brian shook his head.

"It's alright I'll go by myself." Brian treaded back to the hallway and grabbed his jacket. He could feel his tail shaking in disagreement.

Brian turned around to small thumps down the stairs.

"Stewie?" He asked. The pint-sized toddler ran over to Brian and grabbed his tiny parka.

"I'm coming with you, Brian. Anything to get away from this house of morons, Meg's practising her dance routine for the school talent show. I have never in my entire - yet short - life, seen anything so disgusting." Brian shook his head.

"No" Stewie looked up at him in amazement. His eyes were wide with disbelief.

"But, I'm the baby, you're required to look after me and that's a full time job!" Stewie's angry tone, luckily, never broke into the kitchen, where Lois and Peter sat.

"Fine, but just stay close to me" Stewie smiled happily, but not before making one last comment as the two opened the door and left.

"Oh, I'm sure that's what you want. Me right next to you, you....you...homosexual!" Stewie yelled, laughing defiantly to himself.

"Nice." Brian muttered, completely uninterested at the comment. Brian closed the door slowly, so as not to alert Lois or Peter to his exit. He marched down the driveway, watching Stewie idly trott through puddle after puddle. Despite being a evi genius, Stewie still enjoyed his pre-school pleasures.

_To indulge as a child is to be a child._

'Ha! Too true' Brian thought to himself. Stewie the tire of the car and sat down next to it, the back of his parka protecting his from sitting in rain. He pressed soflty against the rubber and innocently observed the reflex of the material. Brian stopped for a moment and realised, he might be a pain, he might have tried to kill him on several occasions but Stewie really was a remarkable two-year old. Stewie turned and looked up at Brian. He thrust his hand forward and clenched it several times. Brian knew this meant he wanted his hand held. Brian placed his paw in Stewie's hand and gripped it.

They turned out of the drive and headed for Quahog's park.

* * *

Despite what Brian had thought, the park was packed. Crowds of jacketed people flooded through the flooded greenery. Brian ran straight over to the sandy area and began digging furiously at the compacted sludge. It was tough, but not unbreakable. Eventually he broke through to the softer centre, that had been sheltered from the rain, inside was his book.

_Julian by Gore Vidal_

It was touchy at best, but Brian enjoyed reading Vidal's works. They were soothing. Using one hand to grip the book and the other to shield it from falling rain drops, Brian headed over to the park bench, located conveiniently underneath a tree. Shelter. Perfect. He settled onto the moist wood and nestled between a pregnant mother watching her 'born' child frolick around and an old man, who appeared to be enjoying his newspaper. Brian glanced sideways at the man and he nodded afirmitively back.

Brian could only help but think to himself, where the young generation had gone. If he had glanced at a younger teenager, he would have probably ended up stuffed in a dumpster. Brilliant. He didn't attempt to look at the woman, her expression was slightly pained, probably because she appeared very far into pregnancy, the last few hurdles, most likely.

Brian flicked open the first few pages, gaining a brief overview of what he'd already read. Your basic historical novel. Eventually he reached his page and began scanning the text. He yawned to himself, feeling rather rude. Brian had met Gore Vidal, he was pleasant, if not brief. He gazed over to Stewie. He was sitting on the ground with a doll. Wait. Stewie didn't bring anything with him. It was an action figure, it actually resembled Barack Obama, how weird. He was weilding two swords, most likely Stewie would use some sort of ray gun to enlarge the figure, bring it to life and enslave it under his own twisted rule.

Right, it's time to step in.

Brian dashed over and removed Stewie's grip on the figure. Stewie jumped to his feet and attempted to gain control over the plastic man, but Brian was able to move it away quicker. But people noticed.

"Hey, give that boy back his dolly!" A woman yelled from behind Brian. He turned around to see Stewie had fallen silent and motionless. He stood limp at Brian's side, trying not to draw anymore attention. But the damage had been done. A man to the left of the pair, got up from his seat and marched over to the them.

"That's his you bad dog!" He commanded. Stewie intervened.

"No, no, really it's not mine. I stole it!" He protested. The man shook his head, but not before another man called out.

"Did anyone notice that baby spoke! I'm sure of it, but babies can't talk, it's fact!!" He screamed, trying to gain attention, but his wife shushed him.

"Settle down, Gerald. This isn't the time." Stewie gripped Brian hand tightly and clung to him. The man rolled up a newspaper, he had snatched from the old man Brian had earlier seen. He slapped Brian on the nose, but instinct kicked in.

Brian growled and bit the man's hand. He recoilled in horror, but not so much pain, Brian was exceptionally weak when biting, perhaps because he didn't do it much. Others watched on in terror, lest they be bitten too by this feral hound. Many jumped back and turned to run, others ran towards Brian, kicking and punching towards them, hoping to hit him. Some did.

One woman's hand struck the left side of his face so hard, he could feel it swell instantly. Stewie clutched even tighter to his hand and yanked him towards the buzz of the street. But still the attacks came, left, right and centre. Brian's right eye had also swollen, so much so that he couldn't see out of it. The last thing Brian could remember seeing before he passed out, was the old man. He smiled and nodded.

As Brian drifted into the cold, darkness of his subconcious. He couldn't help but play over that last moment. What on Earth did that old man wan't. Why did he smile and nod. Perhaps it was out of friendship, no, surely he would have helped Brian. Unless he was smiling at his pain. No, that couldn't be, he was honest and....

* * *

"Brian? Oh my god. Brian, please wake up!" Lois voice, cut through Brian's thoughts and shattered them. He could no longer remember that last moment, it was as though he wasn't supposed to remember. He opened his left eye slowly, pain cursing it similarly to his right eye. He raised his hand and felt pressure push it back down.

"No, no. Don't lift that, sweetie. Everything will be alright, you just have to rest. Here let me move this out your eyes." The Doctor's hand moved swiftly towards Brian's forehead and knocked a few loose strands of fur from his eyes. He relished her soft touch, it was...refreshing. His vision was still blurry, but better.

"Thanks Doc." Brian mumbled, she smiled and whispered something to Lois, to which she nodded. Lois turned back to Brian as the Doctor exited.

"So, how you feeling. You took a real tumble back there. Why on Earth did they attack you?" Brian blinked twice, his eyes heavy with lack of sleep.

"I bit a guy, but I swear my teeth aren't that sharp, he said I stole Stewie's doll." Lois' eyes opened wide.

"You _bit _him?" She asked, her voice shaking at the word 'bit'. Brian closed his open eye and shook his head.

"I am so sorry, it'll never happen again. I mean come on, other dogs bite people all the time and they get off with just a caution, why am I any different?" He asked, desperation in his voice.

"Because you're not a dog!" Lois' voice almost pleaded. Brian's face scrunched with confusion.

"Is this some kind of joke, like when the ones Peter plays at Alcoholics Anonymous."

* * *

Peter opened the door to the AA meeting and looked inside, confused.

"Wow, I would swear this was the 'Bring-your-own-Booze Open Bar Night. Well, what am I going to do with these 400 crates of Pawtucket Pat booze?"

* * *

"Brian...your not a dog, you must have been hit pretty hard." Lois insisted. She raised a small mirror to Brian's face and to his surprise, he was...human. He was white, obviously. His hair was light blonde, once again, that was pretty obvious. And he had bright blue eyes, that appeared dull in this light, despite him only being able to see one. He was handsome, but thin. His face appeared drawn back, giving it a sorrowed expression. His mouth fell open at the sight.

"No, no, no. This isn't right, I can't be..."

_Knock, knock._

Lois turned back to Brian, her expression deeply sympathetic but slightly confused.

"I'll get that for you, just try to calm down. Your confused, that's all." Lois got up from her seat and averted her gaze to the door. She unclicked it and opened it wide.

"Thanks for dropping him off Peter." Peter stood there, his face also very caring.

"Hey, buddy. You alright?" Brian nodded. "Great...but if your not, I'll hit Meg." Brian shook his head. "I'm doin' it anyway!" Lois elbowed Peter and he passed Stewie over to her. She then placed him down on Brian's bed and followed Peter out of the room.

Stewie checked they were gone and turned his attention to Brian, his face was mix of anger, confusion and determination.

"I think we need to talk!" Stewie bellowed.

* * *

**What does everybody think of it, I know it's really amateur, but I enjoyed writing it.R&R**


End file.
